1. Panchapalli

Located around 85 kms from Bangalore, Panchapalli is a silent and calm place to visit. Away from the over-crowded destinations, if visited at the right time, the dam looks beautiful with lots of water. During certain periods, the water gets dried up but the site still looks beautiful and can be a treat for photographers.

How to reach the place-

You can take a train and reach the nearest station to Panchapalli which is Marandahalli. From there, you can book a personal cab to reach Panchapalli dam which is around 15 kms from the railway station.

You can also take a bus from Bangalore to Denkanikottai. A private taxi can be hired from there to reach Panchapalli which is around 18 kms from there.

2. Madhugiri

Located around 100 kilometers from Bangalore, Madhugiri is the second largest granite monolith in Asia at an elevation of 3,930 feet. It can be a good trekking experience. The climb to the top of the hill is steep and requires extra attention in monsoons when it gets slippery. There is a ruined Gopalakrishna temple at the top of the hill. Best time to visit there is October to March.

There are many government and private buses that will take you to Madhugiri directly from Bangalore Majestic bus stand. As you recah there you can find their way to trek.

Where to stay?

You can contact these resorts near Tumkur for accomodation-

The Naveen Regency Hotel- 0816-2213-377

Woodlands Hotel- 0816-2281-555

3. Daroji Bear Sanctuary

The bear sanctuary is located in Bellary district, around 340 kms from Bangalore. It was created to preserve the Indian sloth bears. It is around 50 kms from Bellary. The sanctuary is very close to a popular tourist destination Hampi. The best time to visit the sanctuary is late afternoon when bears come out for feeding. If you are lucky enough you can spot female bears with their cubs on the back.

It is estimated that over 150 sloth bears live here. You can also spot some amazing species of birds here. The sanctuary is a delight for those who love wildlife and bird photography. The place is commonly known as Karadi.

You can go here by yourself or on a safari through the Sloth Bear resort run by Jungle Lodges. You can reach here either by road or train. By road: Bangalore to Chitradurga (199 kms) on NH-4, then to Hospet (135 Kms) on NH-13. And then to Kamalapura (12 Kms), which is 10 Kms from the Sanctuary. By Rail: Nearest railway station is Hospet where trains from Bangalore and Hubli are accessible.